Sample newspaper article

東京と日本海沿岸の北陸地方を直接つなぐ北陸新幹線が3月14日運行を開始し、経済的利益を望む住民の期待を高めた。この路線は1997年10月から操業している長野新幹線の路線を延長し、新しい区間である長野?金沢間228キロの完成により開業が可能となった。JR東日本とJR西日本によって共同運行されるが、東京から金沢までの所要時間が約1時間20分短縮され、約２時間半で行くことができる。北陸地域はこの新路線が金と物、人の流れを増加させることを期待している。北陸新幹線により年間200億円から 300億円の経済効果を上げるという試算もある。 (March 15)

Words and phrases

東京 (罢ō办测ō) Tokyo; 日本海沿岸 (Nihonkai engan) on the Sea of Japan coast; 北陸地方 (Hokuriku chi丑ō) Hokuriku region; 直接 (chokusetsu) directly; つなぐ linking; 新幹線 (shinkansen) bullet train; 運行 (unkō) service; 開始し (kaishi- ) started; 経済的利益 (keizaiteki rieki) economic benefits; 望む (nozo-) seeking; 住民 (箩ū尘颈苍) residents; 期待 (kitai) hope; 高めた (taka-) lifting; 路線 (rosen) route; 操業して (蝉ō驳测ō-) operating; 延長し (enc丑ō-) extends; 新しい (atara-) new; 区間 (kukan) section; 完成 (kansei) completion; 開業 (办补颈驳测ō) operation; 可能となった (ka苍ō-) made possible; 共同運行 (kyōdō unkō) joint operation; 所要時間 (shoyō jikan) travel time; 短縮され (tanshuku-) shortening; 金 (kane) money; 物 (mono) goods; 人 (hito) people; 流れ (naga-) flow; 増加させる (锄ō办补-) increase; 年間 (nenkan) per year; 200億円 (nihyaku okuen) 20 billion yen; 経済効果 (keizai kōka) economic effects; 試算 (shisan) estimation

Sample radio or television report

罢ō办测ō-to Nihonkai engan-no Hokuriku chi丑ō-wo chokusetsu tsunagu Hokuriku Shinkansen-ga 3-gatsu jūyokka unkō-wo kaishi-shi, keizateki rieki-wo nozomu 箩ū尘颈苍-no kitai-wo takamemashita. Kono rosen-wa 1997-nen 10-gatsu kara 蝉ō驳测ō-shiteiru Nagano Shinkansen-no rosen-wo enc丑ō-shi, atarashii kukan-de-aru Nagano Karuizawa-kan 228-kiro-no kansei-ni yori 办补颈驳测ō-ga ka苍ō-to narimashita. JR Higashi Nihon-to JR Nishi Nihon-ni yotte kyōdō unkō-saremasuga, 罢ō办测ō-kara Kanazawa-made-no shoyō jikan-ga 1-jikan 20-pun tanshuku-sare, yaku 2-jikan han-de yukukoto-ga dekimasu. Hokuriku chiiki-wa, kono shinrosen-ga kane-to mono, hito-no nagare-wo 锄ō办补saseru-koto-wo kitai-shite imasu. Hokuriku Shinkansen kaitsū-ni-yori nenkan 200-okuen-kara 300 okuen-no keizai kōka-wo ageru-to-iu shisan-mo deteimasu.

Translation

The Hokuriku Shinkansen Line directly linking Tokyo with the Hokuriku region on the Sea of Japan coast started bullet-train services on March 14, lifting the hopes of residents seeking an economic boost. The route was made possible by the completion of a new 228-km section between Nagano and Kanazawa that extends the Tokyo-Nagano bullet-train route, which has been operating since October 1997. Operated jointly by East Japan Railway Co. and West Japan Railway Co., the line now allows travelers to make the trip from Tokyo to Kanazawa in about 2? hours, shortening the usual travel time by about one hour and 20 minutes. Areas in Hokuriku are hopeful the new line will increase the flow of money, goods and people. Some estimates put the new line’s economic effects at between ?20 billion and ?30 billion per year.

A conversation between acquaintances

A: 罢ō办测ō-to Kanazawa-wo musubu Hokuriku Shinkansen-ga unkō-wo kaishi-shita 蝉ō-诲别蝉耻-苍别.

(I heard that the Hokuriku Shinkansen Line, linking Tokyo and Kanazawa, has started operating.)

B: Shoyō jikan-ga ichijikan 20-pun-mo tanshuku-sarata sō-desu-yo.

(Apparently, the new line cuts the travel time by about an hour and 20 minutes.)

Conversation between a husband and wife

H: Hokuriku Shinkansen-wa sābisu-mo iirashii-yo.

(I heard that the service on the Hokuriku Shinkansen Line is also much better.)

W: Ichido notte mimas丑ō-yo.

(We should give it a try.)

(No. 1250)